Sodna praksa

  • Podatki o zadevi
    • Nacionalna ID: Ljubljana High Court, Judgement I Cp 2024/2018
    • Država članica: Slovenija
    • Splošno ime:N/A
    • Vrsta odločbe: Sodna odločba v pritožbenem postopku
    • Datum odločbe: 08/05/2019
    • Sodišče: Višje sodišče v Ljubljani
    • Zadeva:
    • Tožnik:
    • Toženec:
    • Ključne besede: Consumer credit, credit agreement, average consumer, consumer debt, unfair terms
  • Členi direktive
    Unfair Contract Terms Directive, Article 3
  • Uvodna opomba

    ECLI:SI:VSLJ:2019:I.CP.2024.2018

    From the written credit agreement, it is clear that this is a CHF credit – of which the EUR equivalent  is calculated at the ECB's exchange rate. However, the average consumer is (at most) aware of the possibility of an increase (and decrease) in the value of a foreign currency and a possible negative consequence (by increasing the credit obligation) but is not allowed to evaluate the risk assumed. Therefore, the inclusion of this text in the credit agreement  does not  provide a basis for a decision on the fulfilment of the defendant's duty to explain. In assessing whether the plaintiff had been duly informed, the Court of First Instance gave too much importance to her education and to the fact that she had previously obtained information about the CHF credit from friends.

    This applies and explains when the bank’s duty of explanation is fulfilled.

  • Dejstva

    The plaintiff obtained a special-purpose housing credit from the defendant through a credit agreement. The credit was in the EUR equivalent at the ECB reference rate. The reference interest rate for the credit was 6 months CHF LIBOR plus 2.15% per annum and was variable and pegged to 6 months CHF. The effective interest rate was 4.49%, and its calculation was regulated in more detail in article 5 of the credit agreement. The parties agreed on the method of securing the credit with a mortgage and the borrower's right to convert the credit from CHF to EUR under explicitly agreed upon terms. They further agreed that the EUR equivalent of CHF at the ECB reference rate in force on the date of payment of the liability should be used as the basis for the use of the credit, repayment, calculation, and payment of contractual or default interest. The plaintiff requested the annulment of the credit agreement.

  • Pravna zadeva

    1. When is it possible to assess the unfairness of the main subject of the contract?

    2. How is the average consumer's standard reflected in the bank's explanatory duty when concluding a credit agreement?

  • Odločba

    The bank is obliged to perform an explanatory duty in each case, to the extent required for the average consumer standard. Even if an individual consumer were to be considered to have a higher level of expert knowledge, this does not allow the conclusion that there is no weaker customer concerning the seller or provider. The activities and inactivity of the consumer regarding search for information, do not relieve the bank of the explanatory duty. However, it is no longer in the sphere of the bank how the consumer will take the received information into account in their decision.

    Celotno besedilo: Celotno besedilo

  • Povezane zadeve

    Zadetki niso na voljo

  • Pravna literatura

    Zadetki niso na voljo

  • Zadetek

    The appeal is upheld in part and the contested partial judgement is amended so that the action is dismissed in this part. The remainder of the partial judgement is set aside, and the case is remanded to the  Court of First Instance for a new trial.

    The Court of Appeal found that the impugned partial judgement did not contain any findings that would provide a basis for concluding that the plaintiff was aware of the risk posed by the uncertain exchange rate of CHF at the time of concluding the contract. The factual situation regarding the duty to explain was incompletely established, partly due to an incomplete evidentiary assessment, and partly also due to erroneous substantive positions of the  Court of First Instance. Therefore, the Appellate Court upheld the appeal in part. The impugned partial judgement was annulled in part and returned the case to the  Court of First Instance for a new trial (art. 354 and 355 of the Civil Procedure Act). In the retrial, the  Court of First Instance will have to supplement the evidentiary procedure with the examination of witnesses and, after a comprehensive evidentiary assessment, assess whether the defendant informed the plaintiff of the consequences of possible currency risks before concluding the contract. It should find out if the plaintiff was aware of these consequences and whether the defendant has fulfilled its duty of explanation.